NEWS: Tai chi might help battle rheumatoid arthritis

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Tai chi might help battle rheumatoid arthritis

By Marsa / Tribune Media Services

Tai chi may help rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

Researchers at UCLA are investigating whether the ancient Chinese

martial art can relieve symptoms and improve mobility, helping

patients lead a relatively normal life.

" Tai chi combines both relaxation and mild physical exercise, which

gets patients moving but in a gentle way, " says Nicassio, a

psychologist at UCLA who is conducting the research.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that affects about 2.1

million Americans -- the majority of sufferers are women. The illness

usually causes aching, throbbing or stiffness of the joints and

muscles, fatigue, low-grade fever, and a general sense of not feeling

well.

Because they are in chronic pain, sufferers often have trouble

sleeping, making them tired, depressed and irritable. They also tend

to be quite sedentary, leading to a loss of strength, mobility,

balance and endurance, all of which are vital for life's daily

activities. Eventually, even opening a jar or walking can be difficult.

" Their symptoms trigger a self-perpetuating cycle that leads to a

downward spiral in their functioning, " says Pike, a

psychologist at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute who is involved in

the tai chi studies.

Recent research indicates that tai chi can preserve range of motion

in people with rheumatoid arthritis, which could in turn reduce

disability.

And a 2003 UCLA study demonstrated that a modified form of tai chi,

known as tai chi chih, boosts the immune system's response to a

common virus and prevents outbreaks of shingles, a skin condition

that most often strikes the elderly.

Two ongoing UCLA studies also are evaluating whether tai chi chih can

increase mobility in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/fitness/0509/01/E03-299425.htm